The present invention relates to an electronic device according to the preamble of claim 1. The invention also relates to a control means for an electronic device according to the preamble of claim 13. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method according to the preamble of claim 14 in the manufacture of an electronic device.
To allow better mobility for people, there are wireless communication devices available according to prior art. One wireless communication device is a mobile phone which can be for example a digital mobile phone according to the GSM standard (Global System for Mobile Communications), functioning in a mobile communication system based on a cellular network.
As is well known, there are electronic devices, such as notebook microcomputers, small hand-held computers or PDA devices (Personal Digital Assistant), available for storing various data. In this specification, PDA devices refer to devices of the above-described kind. In these devices it is possible to store for example calendar data, notes, address data, phone numbers, or corresponding data given by the user. This data can be reviewed by means of the display of the device. Data is typically entered in these devices by means of a keypad, but it is known that there are also devices available which are equipped with a touch screen.
The features of wireless communication devices, such as mobile phones, are constantly increasing, and they typically comprise functions for storing e.g. the telephone numbers of people and firms. Known devices include, for example, the Nokia 8110, 6110 and 3110 mobile phones. As is well known, there are also devices available, which comprise two user interfaces combined, for example the user interfaces of a mobile phone and a PDA device. One such device of prior art is the Nokia 9000 Communicator, whose first user interface, i.e. the PDA interface, can be used to store various data in the device, to communicate with the Internet network in a wireless manner and to receive e.g. telecopier messages, and whose second interface, i.e. the CMT interface (Cellular Mobile Telephone) can be used to operate conventional mobile phone functions, such as receiving a call and selecting a telephone number. The above-described communicator comprises separate keypads and displays for the different user interfaces, wherein the PDA user interface is arranged to be used in the opened position and the CMT user interface is arranged to be used in the closed position of the device.
In connection with wireless communication devices, various control means are known for controlling the functions of these devices. Such control means include for example one or more keys located by the display, wherein the desired control function is selected by pressing a key, the control function being indicated by displaying the command of the function in writing or a symbol representing it on the display in the vicinity of the key. The keypad typically comprises keys for moving the cursor up and down and often also to the right and to the left on the display. For this purpose, the keypad can also be provided with a rocker key i.e. a button which can be used to select the direction of movement of the cursor by pressing it into different directions.
Patent publication EP 0 463 856 B1 discloses a control means which is a control roll or trackball to be placed on the front cover of a mobile phone, for example for scanning menu functions in a menu structure. According to publication EP 0 715 441 A1, a cylindrical control roll which can be rotated around its longitudinal axis and which is used to scan the menu functions of the menu structure, can in a foldable mobile phone also be integrated in a hinge, substantially in parallel and on the same axis with the hinge. Thus, a separate control button can also be placed in the vicinity of the control roll, for the purpose of selecting and activating a menu function retrieved from the menu by means of the control roll. From publication U.S. Pat. No. 5,436,954 it is also known that a control roll placed in a hinge can be moved at least a short distance in the direction of its longitudinal axis, wherein it can be used to move the cursor shown on the display. A mobile phone can also be provided with a joystick-type control lever, guide pin, or the like, which corresponds to the functions of a trackball for controlling the cursor.
In connection with mobile phones, a known control means, disclosed in publication EP 0 755 142 A2, is a rotary discoidal control roll placed on the side of a mobile phone, which control roll can be turned to move in a telephone directory shown on the display of the mobile phone, and which control roll can be pressed to select the desired telephone number. By means of the control roll, it is also possible to form an alphanumeric character string e.g. for a telephone directory, wherein by rotating the control roll to two different directions the character to be displayed is changed, either to the previous or next one in alphabethical order, and by pressing the control roll the character to be added to the character string is selected. This takes place by means of a directional movement of the control roll towards the device, which movement activates a switch arranged in connection with the control roll. By keeping the control roll pressed down, it is possible to change the size of the character.
When the above-presented devices of prior art, especially wireless communication devices, become smaller in size, the large number and placement of control means in the device poses problems especially with respect to ergonomics and ease of use. A particular problem is that when the functions of the wireless communication devices increase and their options improve, it is also necessary to supplement the devices with various control means. When the size becomes smaller and the weight lighter, the control means also have to be reduced in size, which further impairs usability.
When the different modes and functions of wireless communication devices increase, the use of different menu structures is also increased and the menu structures become more complex. One particular aspect that causes problems in devices of prior art is the movement within the menu structure. The menu structure typically comprises menu functions which are connected together horizontally and vertically. Horizontally, it is possible to move in the menu structure by moving the cursor for example by turning a control roll. The menu function is selected by pressing a control button, which can be located for example in connection with the above-described control roll, and thereby moving to another upper level menu function. In devices of prior art, a particular problem is the movement back to a lower level. This is often arranged by means of a separate control button which comprises a cancelling function i.e. a so-called xe2x80x9cCxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cCancelxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cClearxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cBackSpacexe2x80x9d function. By means of this function, it is possible to return to the preceding menu level or directly to the basic level of the menu structure, from which it is possible to start advancing in the menu structure again.
The purpose of the present invention is to produce an improvement in the state of the art and to considerably enhance the usability of electronic devices. A particular objective of the invention is to diversify the possibilities of using the control means. The electronic device according to the invention is characterized in what will be presented in the characterizing part of claim 1. The control means according to the invention for an electronic device is characterized in what will be presented in the characterizing part of the claim 13. The method according to the invention in the manufacture of an electronic device is characterized in what will be presented in the characterizing part of claim 14.
The invention lends itself better than prior art to devices in which the aim is to control the functions widely by means of a one-hand grip and a small number of control means. The advantage of said one-hand grip is, for example, that the device can be controlled with one finger in a single position. A further advantage of the invention is that the need for control means is reduced, which facilitates the placement of the control means. Thus, the need for several separate control means is reduced and at the same time for example the space used by the control means is reduced when compared with prior art.
Furthermore, one advantage of the invention is that with the help of the control means it is possible to utilize a number of successive control movements that deflect the control means, for example sliding, rotating, or turning in different directions, as well as operational sequences containing simultaneous pressing and rotating, sliding or turning movements. These operational sequences are much more diversified than the prior art methods of application. Known ways of using the control means, especially a control button, include so-called clicking (pressing down and releasing) for making selections and a long-lasting pressing down for switching the power on or off. Repeated clickings of the control button are also known for changing the letter to be written when the device is used to produce texts, wherein the clickings have to be repeated within a given period of time, for otherwise the clickings are interpreted to be independent of each other, wherein the control function is different as well.
A particular advantage of the aforementioned operational sequences is that in addition to the other functions of the wireless communication device, the user can more rapidly control for example the movement within the menu structure, as well as the start-up and cancellation of the menu functions, etc. Thus, a particular advantage is also that the keypad can be eliminated altogether and the device, advantageously a mobile phone, is controlled by means of one or more control means according to the invention.
A particular advantage of the invention is that the control means can be used more widely than prior art especially for changing, scanning and selecting menu functions. By means of the invention, it is especially possible to arrange the movement to an upper level and back to a lower level in a menu structure more flexibly than in prior art. Furthermore, one particular advantage of the invention is that with the control means it is possible to control the generation and correction of alphanumeric character strings in a more diversified manner when compared to prior art.
With the invention, a special advantage is achieved for example in devices in which a wireless communication device functioning for example as a mobile phone is divided into two or more parts: into a so-called housing part; a part to be placed for example on the waist of the user and comprising an antenna, a power supply and a radio part; a part to be attached on the wrist and comprising a keypad and a display; and a receiver part. The parts are connected to each other to control the operation and to transmit information. The part to be placed on the wrist is small in size, wherein by means of the invention the number of the control buttons in the keypad can be reduced or the usability of the device can be improved. In a preferred embodiment, the keypad is replaced entirely with one or more control means according to the invention. It is obvious that the control means can also be placed on the waist or alternatively in a part to be placed in a pocket.
Furthermore, the advantage of a particular embodiment of the invention is that in addition to the normal position, the control means comprises at least two separate auxiliary positions in which it can be pressed down and simultaneously rotated. This embodiment further increases the possibilities of using the control means and the usability of the control means with the help of various operational sequences, for in the auxiliary positions, the control means can control different functions. Furthermore, a particular advantage of the control means in question is that when the control means extends through the device, the control means can be arranged to function in the same way irrespective of the direction from which it is used. It is possible to perform the pressing and turning of the control means from two different directions.